What is your background? Hometown? High school? Family members?: I was born and raised here in Cedar Rapids. My twin sister and I were born three months early at St. Luke’s Hospital. My parents, Tom and Laurel, are long-time Cedar Rapids Community School District employees. In addition, I have three furry sisters, golden retrievers, Wrigley, Maggie, and Sophie. I attended and graduated from John F. Kennedy High School in 2012. My freshman year I attended college at a private school in Minnesota, the following year I attended a private college in Cedar Rapids, and now I am attending Kirkwood Community College.
What brought you to Kirkwood and why?: As I said above, I attended two private colleges in Minnesota and Iowa before coming to Kirkwood. I knew I always wanted to be in the human service field but it wasn’t until the end of my sophomore year that I ultimately decided that I needed to pursue my real passion, which included my love for writing, research, and law. Kirkwood has an outstanding paralegal program so the next step for me to take was to come be a student.
What is your program of study and what interests you about it?: I am currently pursuing degrees in my Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts and my Associate of Applied Science in the paralegal program. I have found the paralegal program to be exactly what I had spent the previous two years looking for. The classes are engaging and relevant. I find the professors to be experts in their field, easy to talk to, easy to get a hold of, and always willing to assist students. I love going to class and I love learning the law.
What are you involved in off of campus?: I volunteer annually for the Freedom Festival and enjoy opportunities to house-sit and pet-sit. I keep busy most nights by working at Elmcrest Country Club as a waitress.
What do you do for fun?: My favorite thing to do for fun is dance, I have my teaching certificate in Zumba, I love traveling, hiking, running, biking, and spending quality time with my family and friends.
Where do you see yourself in five years?: In five years, I would like to be a successful graduate from Kirkwood Community College, working in a law firm as a paralegal, and finding ways to contribute back to my community.